Disney MOD program begins - Disney Generations - Page 2

I've been looking for used copies of either this or, even better, the Korean LD which had no subs.

 

 

Add my name to this mix as well. And I end up watching it once or twice a year, too, about as much as I watch my other Disney classics.

This MOD program, if it's not a one-shot thing here, looks very half-baked right now. I hope there is some way the contact the individuals involved in this branch of the home video department that such masters simply won't do. MGM (partially) and Warner Bros cleaned up their act, so it's reasonable to expect some sort of quality control in the future.
Edited by JoHud - 7/11/11 at 12:50pm

What do you mean by slapdash? Doesn't MOD just about always mean slapdash? I am glad Disney is starting this service, but these initial titles are very perplexing. Is there much demand for these?

Disney responds to pressing errors. They have not, as yet, responded to complaints about using outdated or MAR transfers, but it doesn't hurt to try. Here's how to get in touch with them:

 

800-723-4763

http://www.disneystudioshelp.com/Contact_Us.html

 

I can't speak for others but Amy was the only one of the initial titles I had any interest in. A Facebook friend saw my review, and the first thing he asked was "when will they do Song of the South?" 

 

A few years ago I would have complained to anyone who would listen but ultimately sucked it up since my complaints would have fallen on deaf ears. But I'm a different and more mature person now, and I feel like actively advocating for better releases and framing my arguments in a positive way.

Thanks, I inquired about Amy in particular, as it is the only one I was interested in. While MGM/Fox still release problematic MOD discs, there have been some improvements on their end. Hopefully, if this one intends on continuing, Disney Generations gets some quality releases.

Your wish is Disney's command: Fuzzbucket is available.

Thanks for the heads up, MatthewA.  I will officially be the best brother in the whole world now. 

Thanks John. Yes folks, in fact that is exactly what we are trying to do over at Open Vault Disney. We have letter writing campaigns going and are attempting to persuade Disney to finish what they started with things like "The Disney Treasures" or the start of the "Disney Afternoon" shows that had been released. Our hope is that 2012 is a very good year for Disney fans, but we need all the help we can get for Disney to listen to us!

I am very pleased to share this breaking news with all of you!

http://openvaultdisney.wordpress.com/2011/12/05/breaking-news-two-new-generations-collection-titles-to-be-released/

If this is actually true, then all I gotta say is this:

Disney are freaking liars for saying the original negative for COG is damaged beyond repair.

Hopefully, they are improving their quality control on these titles. At least these two new titles won't run into aspect ratio issues.

Don't worry, you'll soon find out what effort, if any, went into them.

I'm not going to say I don't think this collection has it's issues or that it is perfect. I will say that until some things change, I stand by that in the world of DVD-on-Demand titles, Warner Bros. and their Warner Archive is the gold standard. That said, I'm also not going to tear the Disney MOD program to shreds. There are many things about it I don't know, but one of the few things I do know for sure is that the people involved with putting this together work their butts off to make this happen. I don't feel it is their fault if there are flaws with this collection, and that goes for the Disney Movie Club titles as well. My feeling is it is an issue higher up based on Disney business model those lower on the totem poll have to follow. But they do the best job they can with what they have.

As for the issue of the higher up's various business models, all I can say is that if enough people ban together and via physical letters, e-mails and petitions, let Disney know we want better and will pay for it if they make what we want, then and only then will they listen to us. Despite how it may feel at times, Disney doesn't hate it's fan. It's a major business and will do what it feels will make the most money. We may not always agree with their feelings of what is best for their business,but Disney as a company is what it is. That is what Open Vault Disney exists for, to ban Disney fans together to point out our feelings in a united voice to Disney. So, if this matters to you, please help us. Thanks guys.

P.S. I wanted to point out that "Student Exchange"and "Fuzzbucket" to my knowledge were never released on VHS. Their DVD's are the first and only releases they have had. So, I doubt their DVD's were copied from VHS masters.
Edited by milojthatch - 12/6/11 at 12:02pm

Yes, but do you have any reasons to be optimistic that Disney won't just laugh at the e-mails and use the snail mail as kindling?

Warner is also a business in it for profit, but they at least communicate directly with us through its Facebook page and occasionally inquire to requests. Sony and Universal are also businesses, but look at what they did with MOD and the films they licensed/are licensing to TCM. Paramount is ALSO a business out to make money, and look at what their deal with Olive Films has brought us.

Disney is doing this MOD thing all wrong, and I can't blame those who look at them as the Mordor of home video.

"The Mordor of Home Video"? What's that supposed to mean?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mordor

 

I picked up Child of Glass and I will be reviewing it, but I remain cautiously pessimistic about the whole thing since their lazy release of Amy.

I just find it hilarious that Disney, the company that for decades has been more outspoken against bootlegs than any other, is now producing their own bootlegs (and that's just what MOD discs are- if they're on DVD-R and aren't chaptered properly, instead using that lazy every-10-minutes mode that DVD recorders default to, they're nothing more than legalized bootlegs. And if they're using old TV masters for these, they're close to bootleg quality too.)

I remember calling Disney's 800 number to complain about how they delayed the laserdisc releases of many of their titles for several months after the VHS, reason being that laserdiscs could not have Macrovision copy protection and therefore could easily be used to make unauthorized VHS copies. The guy on the phone actually said "people would be selling copies made from laserdiscs, and the copies would be of low quality and the Disney name would be forever damaged!"

Have you seen that commercial on some of their discs with Tinkerbell, which implies that bootleggers take the "magic" away, and only authorized discs will deliver the true experience? (This of course isn't true, as properly copied DVDs will look and sound EXACTLY like the original.)

I also liked how Universal is doing MOD's after putting that insert in their regular discs that said "Authentic DVDs- Don't get burned!"

 

Yeah but Disney MOD titles that no one would want to bootleg anyway. 

 

There is a lot of validity in the statement of people coping the laserdiscs.  Just about every bootleg VHS and DVD copy of SONG OF THE SOUTH is from the Japanese laserdisc.  Of course if Disney released a legit copy, the bootleg copy would go away. 

 

Your thoughts are in the right place, but your temenolgy is off, bootleg is the unauthorized or prohibited use of works under copyright, infringing the copyright holder's exclusive rights, such as the right to reproduce or perform the copyrighted work, or to make derivative works.  All of the MOD programs are authorized by the copyright holder.
 

 

 

Disney DVD is also the Mordor of home video.  There have been any titles that they released to the home market that were full frame and not OAR or anamorphic if they did go the OAR route.  It like they have policy that if it appeared on TV we will release it full frame even it it was shot widescreen for theatres.  Of all the film companies, Disney has been the one to disappoint me the most over the years.  I mean really, The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes in 1:33 to 1 and the same can be said for The Shaggy Dog (1959).

 

I would not expect anything more from them through their MOD program. 

 

What does the condition of the negative have to do with anything? COG was issued on VHS in the early days of home video and Disney could very well just be using that transfer. COG also ran in syndication in the late 1980's/early 1990's where it apeared to have been re-mastered, though from what source I cannot say.

In addition to the video masters, it's likely 16mm prints struck for TV use still exist in good condition. I remember my elementary school class being shown COG on 16mm during the last week of school before summer vacation. I do not know if any 35mm prints were made.

Regardless, there are exisiting transfers and material out there for Disney to use. The negative need not be involved.

COG was on Comcast's Disney On Demand channel a few months back. I recorded it directly to DVD-R. It looks very nice. I seriously doubt the studio's own DVD-R will look any different.

I was especially disappointed that they released a Pan & Scan edition of Westward Ho, the Wagons! one of their first Cinemascope films. Film that were matted for widescreen, I can sort of understand, but cropping Cinemascope to fullscreen?

I wasn't happy with The Moonspinners in 1.33:1. Very disappointed about that.

I bought The Shaggy Dog double feature DVD set (with D.A.) not too long ago and both films are widescreen and 16x9 enhanced. The set includes a colorized version of Dog which is 1.33:1 but the B&W original is in it's proper 1.75:1 ratio. D.A. is 1.85:1.

Perhaps there was an earlier release of TSD in 1.33:1 only but if so, it seems to have been replaced.

That must not have been the transfer they used; I have reviewed the MOD and found that the transfer left a bit to be desired:

 

Child of Glass DVD review

I'm sorry it took so long, but here is Open Vault Disney's first review of a Generations Collection release. This one for the film "Student Exchange."

http://openvaultdisney.wordpress.com/2011/12/21/student-exchange-review/


Actually yes, yes I do. I don't disagree with the frustration here, and agree I wish Disney had a different view for this whole affair. However, I know for a fact that Disney Home Entertainment is not as evil as many here seem to think they are. I also know that with enough fan campaigning, they will listen. The 2002 DVD release of the film "Newsies" and the added forth season for the show "Kim Possible" are proof enough of that reality. They do listen and Open Vault Disney is making a difference. However, these things take time, and more support. I promise you, the more Disney fans joining up with us, the better things will be in the long run. 2012 is going to be a great year!
Edited by milojthatch - 12/21/11 at 1:59am

It makes sense to me that this is the best version of the film that is still available.

During the early 80's, the Disney studio was in turmoil. It has been famously reported that a large amount of its heritage was being discarded. A TV show from the late 70's might have been something that received very little attention.

I have looked at some screen shots of this title and they don't look too bad. It is possible that this is actually the best that they have at all on the title, and likely that this is the best that can be provided within the budget.

There are choices to be made here:
1. Disney has to decide how much they can afford to do to improve the quality. Part of this is what other channels they foresee being able to sell the title into. MOD itself doesn't pay for much at the moment.
2. The customer has to decide how badly they want the content and what they are willing to put up with.


Bob

Didn't get the double feature for The Shaggy DA was not want.  Glad to know that they did go back and do it right.  They should have done it right the first time. 
 

 

You can get the widescreen edition of the first movie by itself: http://www.amazon.com/Shaggy-Dog-Wild-Woolly/dp/B000CR7RH0/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1325264929&sr=8-2

It's the same disc that's in the double feature, or vice-versa.

A report a month or two ago said Disney Was going to release Gargoyles: Season 2 V. 2  on DVD in 2012. Now, I don't know if this was to get the Gargoyles fandom to stop pestering them to release the set and finish off the series, or what have you, but from two different sources we got the same news.

 

I would hope that Disney could finish off ALL of it's Disney Afternoon titles,  and start releasing it's back catalogue properly ala Warners, but that's just a pipe dream. Why can't they just follow the Warners model? why do it their own, wrong way? if they are going to try to appeal to the fan base with MODs (which are NOT bootlegs), would they want to maximize the chances of selling those titles?

 

I for one LOVE MODs; I'm GREATFUL to have the chance to own these RARE titles AT ALL... (It's mind-boggling why some of you are still complaining about it)

 

And why Disney doesn't belive in OARs is baffling to me...doesn't it take MORE work to turn a film into a pan & scan version rather than just leaving it in it's OAR? and putting it on the DVD/Blu? What is the point of Full Screen/Pan & Scan? does anyone out there still prefer those formats???